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Glaze Practice Tile(S)


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Lately, I've been kicking around a new idea, for teaching the students, how to use glaze.  Since I started teaching, I have also done some quick demos, regarding underglaze and glaze techniques.  However, it seems to be too condensed for the students, and it's hard for them to take in a lot of it.  

 

So, instead of me showing them all the techniques, or requiring them to do all of them on projects, I thought of having each student make a slab, dividing it up into sections, and try a couple different techniques there.  One section could be undergalze with sgraffito, on with the use of wax or latex resist, sponging, layering, etc.  I do something similar, with my Painting class, when we practice with watercolor.

The slabs wouldn't have to be very big, maybe five by six or so.  

 

Has anyone tried something like this with students, or otherwise?

 

 

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Yes, Benzine I have done this whereby I allowed the students to form a slab, not huge, and they sectioned it off by engraving random lines and filled the areas created with different techniques. Some ended up quite something in their own right, a bit like in pencil drawing when various patterns are created by lines. Holes were placed near an edge and some were hung around the room till students took them home.

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I have a number of technique sample tiles in my studio, as well as an undergkaze test tile that sits by "my" chair to take my mug or glass. It's quite a bit bigger than a coaster, so is stable on the carpet. I love it. Having made the technique test tile, I then used them to test glazes, so they became a reference tool in one piece.

 

Go to it.

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I think both ideas have their own merits. For a classroom instructional exercise to be sure that every student tries and can identify each technique taught, and evenly sectioned slab with each section designated for a specific technique on EVERYBODY's slabs would allow for easy class-wide comparison. But for just playing around with techniques for your own practice or testing, the free-form sectioning sounds like a lot of fun that could lead to something potentially very interesting.

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Stellaria, yes, a place for both.

I favoured the first as it engaged the students in selecting a size/shape of area to 'fit' the decoration technique, part of the creative thinking., the results were so varied at  the end that there was great discussion as to why etc. Ownership took over!

the slabs were, as part of the process, sketched and noted and evaluated by the student as part of the assessment. It was fun!

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My idea, with the divided slab, was to do like I do with my "Practice Watercolor Techniques" in my Painting class.  I have the students divide up the paper, and before we even start, they label each section, as to what it will be.  That way, not only will the have a record, after the fact, but it's easier to reference, which area they are supposed to be working in.  

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I ran several tile projects that were aimed at learning techniques. One fun way of doing these was to find a large black and white line poster/drawing. Divide this into even sized square tiles, and cut into pieces. I had students sitting at tables usually of 4 to a table. Then I would give them each table four pieces adjacent to each other. If the assignment involved glaze, then the techniques required would be listed on the rubric. I often did this using wet techniques as in incising, added on clay, piercing, and stamping. Flat decorating techniques would include brushing of slips, sgraffito, splatter, mishima, and finger/tool wiping.  When finished these could be critiqued to together and mounted, or as i did go home with the students after the final project was graded and photographed.

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